Dr. Catherine Field

Project

Investigating the effects of EPA and DHA on inflammation and immune dysfuntion in the obese and insulin resistant JDR:La-cp rat. Current evidence indicated that obese individuals and those who have risk factors for developing type II diabetes have an elevated inflammatory response in their blood and impaired immune responses. Inflammation is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease ni those who are obese and insulin resistant. There is evidence to suggest that certain nutrients, including the long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, can significantly alter immune health. Moreover, researchers propose that the polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish, eicosopentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA), can improve immune function and inflammation in other diseases with chronic inflammation.

Our hypothesis that feeding fish oil rich in EPA and DHA will normalize immune function and lower inflammation will be studied in a rodent model of pre-diabetes. Animals will be fed nutritionally adequate diets that differ only in the type of fat provided and immunological tests will be used to determine the overall capacity of these fatty acids to influence immune function and inflammation. Novel approaches will be implemented to isolate membrane components of a specific type of immune cells to determine the underlying mechanisms.

Due to the dramatic rise in the incidence of obesity and type II diabetes in North America, it is vital that researchers and practitioners find strategies to prevent the impairments in immune function found in obese and pre-diabetic individuals. Targeted nutritional intervention may be an effective and inexpensive means to improve the inflammation and immune dysfunction associated with obesity and insulin resistance and may prevent or delay the onset of type II diabetes in obese, inulin resistant individuals.

Furthermore, defining the underlying biological mechanisms involved will strengthen our understanding of how dietary fats impact inflammation and immune function in a relatively unexplored area.